Clinical and epidemiological features in hospitalized young children with acute gastroenteritis in Taiwan: A multicentered surveillance through 2014-2017.

Background/purpose: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) remains a significant health issue in children. The worldwide evolution of pediatric AGE pathogens had been recorded since the introduction of rotavirus vaccine. Ten years after the rotavirus vaccine was introduced to the private sectors in Taiwan, a nationwide study was conducted to elucidate the epidemiological changes among major AGE pathogens.

-Infected Aortic Aneurysm: Investigating Pathogenesis Using Serotypes.

infection is most common in patients with infected aortic aneurysm, especially in Asia. When the aortic wall is heavily atherosclerotic, the intima is vulnerable to invasion by , leading to the development of infected aortic aneurysm. By using THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells to mimic atherosclerosis, we investigated the role of three serotypes - Typhimurium, Enteritidis, and Choleraesuis - in foam cell autophagy and inflammasome formation.

Arterial spin-labeling magnetic resonance imaging of brain maturation in early childhood: Mathematical model fitting to assess age-dependent change of cerebral blood flow.

Purpose: To determine the trajectory of age-dependent cerebral blood flow (CBF) change in infants and young children by fitting mathematical models to the imaging data.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed the arterial spin-labeling imaging studies of 49 typically developing infants and young children at postmenstrual age (PMA) ranging from 38 to 194 weeks. All patients had normal structural MR imaging.

Pathogenicity differences of Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium, Enteritidis, and Choleraesuis-specific virulence plasmids and clinical S. Choleraesuis strains with large plasmids to the human THP-1 cell death.

Salmonella is a common foodborne and zoonotic pathogen. Only a few serovars carry a virulence plasmid (pSV), which enhances the pathogenicity of the host. Here, we investigated the pathogenicity roles of the pSVs among wild-type, plasmid-less, and complemented S.

Arterial spin-labeling perfusion imaging of childhood encephalitis: correlation with seizure and clinical outcome.

Purpose: In childhood encephalitis, perfusion abnormalities have been infrequently reported to associate with clinical status. We investigated whether perfusion abnormalities correlated with seizure and clinical outcome in encephalitis.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the MR studies of 77 pediatric patients with encephalitis.

Arterial spin-labeling perfusion imaging of children with subdural hemorrhage: Perfusion abnormalities in abusive head trauma.

Background And Purpose: Perfusion abnormalities have not been well described in children with subdural hemorrhage (SDH). We investigated whether patients with abusive head trauma (AHT+) had more perfusion abnormalities than those without (AHT-).

Materials And Methods: We reviewed the perfusion MR studies of 12 infants with SDH and 21 controls.

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging of Periventricular Leukomalacia in Very Young Children: Assessment of Peritrigonal Stripe of Restricted Diffusion.

 In periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) reduction, normally shown as dark stripe in the peritrigonal (PT) white matter, may be incomplete. We assessed the PT dark stripe to differentiate between PVL patients and control subjects.  We reviewed the magnetic resonance studies of 27 neonates and young children with PVL and 67 control subjects to assess the PT dark stripe on ADC maps.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a family empowerment program on family function and pulmonary function of children with asthma: A randomized control trial.

Background: Empowerment can be an effective strategy for changing an individual's health behaviours. However, how to empower whole families to manage their children's asthma is a challenge that requires innovative nursing intervention based on family-centred care.

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of a family empowerment program on family function and pulmonary function of children with asthma compared to those receiving traditional self-management only.

Arterial spin-labeling perfusion imaging of childhood meningitis: a case series.

Introduction: Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is mainly used to detect complications, is ineffective in determining the neurological status of patients with meningitis. Hemodynamic change in the brain may be more indicative of the neurological status but few imaging studies have verified this. Arterial spin-labeling (ASL) perfusion, a noninvasive MR method requiring no contrast agent injection, can be used to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF).

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum: analysis of 87 pediatric patients.

Objectives: Early reports on pneumomediastinum studied the adult population, and recent analyses of pneumomediastinum in pediatric patients contain small numbers of patients. We aimed to summarize the experience of a larger number of pediatric patients with spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) in a tertiary children's facility in northern Taiwan.

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of clinical manifestations and outcome of SPM on pediatric patients who were admitted to our hospital during a 10-year period.

Predictive factors for do-not-resuscitate designation among terminally ill cancer patients receiving care from a palliative care consultation service.

Context: Since the development of palliative care in the 1980s, "do not resuscitate" (DNR) has been promoted worldwide to avoid unnecessary resuscitation in terminally ill cancer patients.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a palliative care consultation service (PCCS) on DNR designation and to identify a subgroup of patients who would potentially benefit from care by the PCCS with respect to DNR designation.

Methods: In total, 2995 terminally ill cancer patients (with a predicted life expectancy of less than six months by clinician estimate) who received care by the PCCS between January 2006 and December 2010 at a single medical center in Taiwan were selected.

Role of retinoic acid inducible gene-I in human metapneumovirus-induced cellular signalling.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a recently discovered pathogen that causes a significant proportion of respiratory infections in young infants, the elderly and immunocompromised patients. Very little is known regarding the cellular signalling elicited by this virus in airway epithelial cells, the target of HMPV infection. In this study, we investigated the role of the RNA helicases retinoic acid inducible gene-I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated gene-5 (MDA-5) as the main pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) involved in viral detection and subsequent expression of proinflammatory and antiviral genes.

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi in seven Asian countries.

Two hundred and four Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (S. Typhi) isolates were collected from seven Asian countries during 2002-2004. Multidrug-resistant S.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Shigella isolates in eight Asian countries, 2001-2004.

Background And Purpose: Shigellosis is a major health problem in developing countries, causing 91 million episodes and 414,000 deaths in Asia annually. Because of increasing trends towards drug resistance, this study was undertaken to monitor local resistance patterns of Shigella isolates from 8 Asian countries.

Methods: Ninety eight Shigella isolates collected from 8 centers in 8 Asian countries from July 2001 to July 2004 were analyzed in terms of serogroup distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility.

Incidence of surgery in developmental dysplasia of the hip in taiwan.

Background/purpose: Early detection and treatment for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) by screening in nursery has been recommended for several decades. With the recent survey of high prevalence of surgery for DDH in Taiwan, it has raised issues of the effectiveness of baby hip screening.

Methods: National Health Insurance covers 97% of the 22 million population in Taiwan.

The clinical differences between early-and late-onset pulmonary hemorrhage in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Background: Pulmonary hemorrhage (PH) is a rare but possible fatal complication of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). We try to better understand the clinical symptoms and prognosis in patients with SLE and PH. Furthermore, we want to know whether there is different between early-onset and late-onset pulmonary hemorrhage in SLE patients.

Survey of the clinical practice of physicians in the management of asthma in Taiwan.

Asthma is a common problem with a prevalence rate increasing every year. However, not all asthmatic patients receive appropriate treatment, partly due to the disease entity or patients' compliance, and partly due to physicians' knowledge and disposition in terms of treatment. This study was designed to investigate the current status of asthma treatment among clinicians in different practice settings, particularly regarding the acceptance of and adherence to asthma treatment guidelines and asthma patient education.

Septic arthritis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: salmonella and nonsalmonella infections compared.

Objectives: To assess the clinical characteristics and outcome of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with septic arthritis.

Methods: In this 20-year retrospective study, we reviewed the charts of SLE patients with septic arthritis confirmed by synovial fluid analysis and culture. To identify risk factors for septic arthritis, data of SLE patients with septic arthritis were compared with data of 100 hospitalized SLE patients without septic arthritis.

RANTES and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 as sensitive markers of disease activity in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: a six-year longitudinal study.

Objective: To longitudinally investigate serum and synovial fluid (SF) levels of RANTES and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) as well as in vitro migration of mononuclear cells toward SF in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).

Methods: Serum and SF levels of RANTES and MCP-1 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Chemotaxis was performed using the modified Boyden chamber method.

Ding Chuan Tang, a Chinese herb decoction, could improve airway hyper-responsiveness in stabilized asthmatic children: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of application in the treatment of bronchial asthma. Solid scientific evidence, however, is not available despite its widespread use among patients worldwide and in Taiwan. To assess the effect of Ding Chuan Tang (DCT) in airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) on asthmatic children via randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Survey of asthma care in Taiwan: a comparison of asthma specialists and general practitioners.

Background: Asthma is a common disease in Taiwan. The promotion of quality care for asthmatic patients should focus not only on new treatment remedies but also on patient adherence to treatment and a continuous education program integrated into treatment plans. One reason for patients' poor response to treatment is the lack of asthma knowledge on the part of physicians in terms of attitudes toward treatment.

Prevalence and severity of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in 13- to 14-year-old children in Taipei, Taiwan.

Background: The prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in children has increased worldwide.

Objective: To perform the phase 3 survey of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) to report the time trend of the prevalence and severity of asthma and allergic diseases in children in Taipei.

Methods: Two junior high schools in each of the 12 school districts in Taipei were randomly chosen to enter the study.

Helminth-primed dendritic cells alter the host response to enteric bacterial infection.

To examine whether intestinal helminth infection may be a risk factor for enteric bacterial infection, a murine model was established using the intestinal helminth Heligomosomoides polygyrus and a murine pathogen Citrobacter rodentium, which causes infectious colitis. Using this model we recently have shown that coinfection with the Th2-inducing H. polygyrus and C.

Preinoculation with the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus early in life effectively inhibits murine Citrobacter rodentium colitis.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a common pathogen in infantile diarrhea, causing a characteristic histopathologic attaching and effacing (A/E) lesion in the intestinal mucosa. The mouse pathogen Citrobacter rodentium causes a similar A/E lesion in the murine intestine. Like EPEC, C.

Sequential evaluation of clinical and laboratory changes amongst children suffering from lupus nephritis during intermittent intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy.

We prospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of a 24-month course of intermittent intravenous cyclophosphamide (IC) therapy for children suffering from lupus nephritis soon after the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was made. Eight children with severe lupus nephritis were treated with IC monthly for 6 months and then every 3 months, totaling 24 months. The repeated measurements of sequential serological parameters of lupus nephritis, monitored over the course of the study, were analyzed statistically.